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Federer's Big Racket Gamble

The 17-Time Grand Slam Winner Is Experimenting With a New Frame

By

Tom Perrotta

July 19, 2013 6:36 p.m. ET

In the past few months, Roger Federer has chopped his hair, dropped to No. 5 in the world rankings and lost before the quarterfinals at a Grand Slam for the first time in nine years. Now Federer, who will turn 32 next month, is experimenting with a new tennis racket in the middle of the season on clay courts in Germany, with the U.S. Open—the ultimate hard-court tournament—a little more than a month away.

For the super-polished, near-perfect winner of a record 17 Grand Slam singles titles, this is as close to a midlife...